Dubai is a sparkling metropolis where seemingly everyone dreams of living, working and owning their very own home. However, what is it really like to live in Dubai? – do all activities consist of glamorous parties, shopping at lavish designer outlets, enjoying the breathtaking sea view, sunbathing on the golden beaches and making the best of your zero tax income all real?

As always, there are 2 sides to a coin; there are always good and bad reasons when you live in Dubai. Let’s take a look at how good and bad they really are. On the good side, you have an excellent climate where the sun always shines and the temperatures are reasonably comfortable especially from October to June. You have the perfect beaches which have white sandy shores where it is absolutely safe to swim in seas. Besides, you can even join a fun beach club and be waited on hand and foot by professional massagers. There is an incredibly low crime rate in Dubai as the law enforces harsh punishment for even minor offences. Moreover, you can enjoy a 100% tax free salary.

People in Dubai love to shop and it has become their favourite pastime because Dubai has plenty of tax-free shops in each shopping mall– you can buy designer clothes, beautiful jewelleries, cool electronic gadgets, even luxury cars or antiques. Most importantly, petrol is getting more and more expensive everyday due to the increase in global demand. However, petrol is also tax free in Dubai. It makes travelling around affordable. The overall lifestyles that are enjoyed by the vast majority of people in Dubai show that these lifestyles are exceptionally good.

On the bad side, the accommodation is expensive. It would cost a fortune to buy your ideal house in Dubai and it costs almost the same to rent a house. In fact, the sky-rocketing property prices in Dubai forced the government to put a maximum capacity on the rate at which rental rates can increase annually. Many expatriates (even those who draw high salaries) faced the problem of getting homeless.

Many people have moved to remote areas where housing becomes more affordable. However, because of this issue, more people are commuting which has worsened the heavy congestion on the roads. The driving in Dubai is daunting because drivers have little regard for other road users, they tailgate at 100 mph, overtake on blind corners; undertake on motorways. Generally, you need to have good driving skills to drive confidently in Dubai.

The temperatures in summer can be dreadful. It can reach over 40 degrees Celsius and humidity can reach over 70-80% making it frustrating for most and unbearable for some. When temperatures are climbing relentlessly, the stinking drains get more intolerable because Dubai has grown far more rapidly than what its infrastructure can support. The roads are soon crumbling under the weight of excess traffic and drains cannot cope with the ever-increasing number of people now living in Dubai.

Lastly, don't be put off by the bad points of Dubai because every country will have their bad side. The best is you have to decide whether the good points would outweigh the bad points and whether Dubai is a good place to reach your life goals.